There's a New Girl in Town
by Zidovudine911
Summary: Nikolas is captivated by a femme fatal that even he might not be able to conquer. takes place B4 Sarah is changed. Sorry I've reposted this story like 4 times already
1. My Past, My Present

Okay, I know this is kinda weird, but I sort of combined some of the abilities of Charmed and ITFOTN into this, so don't flame me about it ok? All characters and some text belong to Amelia Atwater Rhodes and no, I'm not making $$ off of this. 

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Callista Althea Tzinis was excited about her first day of school in the new town. Her trainer, a.k.a. Mom, decided to drop her young daughter off at school that morning before heading off to the hardware and grocery store. They had the usual morning chit chat and talked about how school was "in the old days." Althea could walk to school, that's how close it was, but she hardly ever refused a free ride from her mother. Her family had moved to Acton, Massachusetts on account of her brother Matt. He wanted, no needed desperately, to go to Harvard University. Mr. Lawyer Wannabe screamed like a girl when he got the acceptance letter, nearly busting Althea's eardrums. Now, Matthew was no little girly man. He was an impressive 6 foot 1 and pretty handsome, as far as a sister is willing to say. He wanted to fly out immediately after receiving the letter, but Mr. and Mrs. Tzinis had to practically lock him in his room to keep him from transporting himself from L.A. to Cambridge itself. Being a triste vampire hunter gave him his unbelievable strength and fighting power, but with their father being a white lighter and all, they also had the ability to heal others and orb from one place to another. Matthew and Althea had pretty much learned to control their white lighter powers a while back, but soon had to learn how to hunt down vampires. Their mother had insisted. Matt was of course much more superior in his abilities than Althea, but always helped out his younger sis as she tried to catch up with him. She was getting closer and closer all the time. Her mother had never seen a triste witch and warlock show so much power and endurance as she saw in her two children. She was determined to make them the two best demon hunters as best as she could. She wasn't too hard on them, but still strict as a trainer and loving as a mother. 

Another bonus to moving here, at least for Matt, was that he would get to see his girlfriend Adianna. They had been dating for only a few weeks secretly because Adianna's mom didn't approve of her girls dating or something like that. You'd think they were aspiring nuns in a monastery than two girls in high school. Yup, Adianna had a younger sister Althea's age. Sarah. Man was she ever a hardass. Her and her "crew" always found ways to get into trouble. They were weird. Always secretive and once Althea had seen two of them with knives sheathed in their backs. Sara ended up getting expelled and her family had to move away to Acton, Massachusetts where some family lived. Matt was heart broken because any contact long distance would be risky since it might be intercepted by Adianna's mother. Matt getting accepted would let him be near her since Acton was like a twin city to Cambridge. Althea thought they might as well joint to be one big city, but decided not to take it up with the congressmen. The Tzinises moved to Acton to be closer to their son and continue to train him and their daughter. 

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I was glad to finally get out of the house. Sometimes I felt like a caged bird in there always unpacking and training, setting things up and training. It was so unfair that Matt was busy in school, lucky duck. Mom dropped me off in front of the high school and was off to the store. She hadn't applied yet for a new job, but I knew that she would get around to it. Mom was a fitness instructor, and sometimes did private sessions for big paying clients. She really knew how to work a class and get the muscles building and the fat burning. We joked that she might give Richard Simmons a run for his money. 

I headed up the stairs to the main office. As I looked around I thought that this place wasn't too different from my old school. I only hoped that there were no vamps enrolled because it would be a real shame to have to dust a fellow classmate, along with keeping my grades up and training with Mom. 

The lady at the front office was nice enough. She gave me my schedule and I looked at my first period class. Ahh, history!!!! My worst subject is my first subject. Now I knew I was gonna fail. It was my habit in school to ask people who had already taken the test the period before, what exactly was on the test. I also did some major cramming in the previous classes. Now, however, I would actually have to study at home. "Geez, that really bites!" I said aloud. Ok, I need to get a grip on myself. This isn't that bad. Look on the bright side I scolded myself, but no matter how hard I tried, my happy mood had fallen and couldn't get up. I headed into class and looked questioningly around the room and at the teacher, Mr. Smith. 

"Oh hello, I'm Mr. Smith. You must be..." "Althea Tzinis." "Oh okay. Let's find you a seat. Hmm, oh yes, there's an empty seat next to Robert." I looked around to see a red headed boy in the back of the classroom waiving his hand for my recognition. I headed to my seat just as the bell had rung. Right before the teacher started class I raised my hand rather quickly. "Yes Althea?" "Um, I hate to interrupt class, but could I have a restroom pass?" He kind of rolled his eyes and handed me a yellow pass. I headed out the door to, um, answer nature's call. As I passed the front row, I felt an aura of unmistakable blood lust. Vampire, and a rather weak one at that. I looked down with contempt to see a girl with dark eyes, dark hair, and pale skin. She noticed nothing out of the ordinary about me, I hope. It was my duty to kill vampires and destroy those demons. However, my parents weren't THAT prejudice and orthodox. We understood that vampires didn't have to be monsters. There were organizations like Single Earth that helped those kinds of demons. There were also vampires on the streets who were lost and confused in their own guilt, kinda like that vamp Angel from Buffy the Vampire Slayer. I heard he has his own series now. Huh. We tried to help these vampires as best we could, but mom wasn't exactly gonna give the shirt off her back to these creatures. Most, almost every, vampire we encountered tried to either kill us or other people. When I got back, the class was already talking about some current event of the Middle East and the religious wars going on. Low and behold what sight caught my eye.

There, sitting to the far left of the classroom was Sarah Green. Great, wouldn't Matt be pleased. All I could think was that she had better not get me into any trouble. "Althea, nice of you to once again join our class." I just smiled at the teacher and his rather weak attempt at sarcasm. Sarah looked up at me and recognized me instantly. A look of surprise barely crossed her face. It was there but not noticeable to the untrained eye. I merely smiled and walked back to my seat. A look of disdain crossed the face of the boy sitting next to me, Robert I think was his name. Why did he not like Sarah? "Well class, I know that you are all so alert and attentive this morning, but just in case," was that a hint of sarcasm? "I would like you all to welcome our new students today, Sarah Green and Althea Tzinis." I stood up, but I was the only one. Whoops! I quickly sat back down to the sound of a few chuckles and many smiles. Even Sarah smiled. The boy sitting next to her seemed to be a little familiar. Then it hit me. He was a vampire too. He looked just like that vamp in the front row. I looked back and forth. They seemed related. Oh how sweet, I thought in disgust. Blood looking out for blood. What was this, a family reunion?

I listened to the most boring lecture on the civil war. I noticed Sarah taking notes furiously and the vampire kind of staring at her and back to his desk. Then he looked at her again and back to his desk. What was he doing? Was he copying her notes or drawing her profile? Robert noticed where my attention was directed and asked me in a whispered voice dripping with skepticism, "What are you looking over **_there_** for?" I looked over to him and replied, "What?" as innocently as possible. He just continued listening to the boring lecture. When class was over I groggily got up from my desk and headed off to my next class. Boring lessons really took it out of me sometimes, but I put my guard up just outside the classroom as a strong hand gripped firmly to my elbow.

"What are **_you_** doing here?" Sarah asked, but I knew she was extremely suspicious inside. I wouldn't blame her. It's not everyday someone from your old school is a new student at your new school, and it's even weirder when it's halfway across the country in a little known town. "I so did not expect to see you here," I excitedly exclaimed although I had known it was a possibility. Now, Sarah and I did not exactly get along well. Her aura was bright and cheery and most people were drawn to her charismatic charm, but we didn't mesh well. We never got into any fights or anything like that, but we just sort of avoided each other at school keeping conversations to a minimum. I mean, she seemed the outgoing type with a tight knit group of friends and hung out pretty well. I was the social butterfly types and was always sitting at a different table almost every week. I was in dance and on the tennis team, while she took some beginners classes like crafts or P.E. where there wasn't a lot of homework. But like I said before, she could be a real hardass. One time, while I was out on patrol, I saw her and her friends walking around with knives and weapons on them. Once in school, when this guy insulted her or something, man I thought she was kick him where it really hurt. She had an attitude. Maybe she would change here. I mean, I'm sure her mom didn't take expulsion very well. 

Now I was not one to tell webs of lies to cover up my family history or anything much for that matter. I didn't lying too much because it was displeasing to God and I knew from experience it didn't help situations any. "My brother's going to college in the next town, so we moved here to stay close by in his first year. The real-estate in Cambridge is incredulous. They expect you to pay an arm and leg for a one story house." I laughed a bit at that and she smiled but I could see that she was ill amused. She didn't seem to interrogating to my motives as before probably because she had seen that I was telling the truth. I felt her try to read my aura and I only let her find out that what I said was true. I didn't let her get anywhere near the truth about my family with which we trust few. I didn't want to risk having our cover blown. Most vampires try to avoid Triste witches like the plague since our blood is poisonous to them. It's kind of difficult to kill the prey when there are none in range if you know what I mean. But Sarah kept up her appearances and continued to be polite and somewhat friendly even though I could see right through her mask. "Well, hope to see you around school," she offered before she left to go to her next class I suppose. "Count on it," I replied through a forced smile. I looked at my schedule to see my next class. Ah, P.E. was next. they didn't offer the type of dance I took in L.A. so I had to suffice with Physical Education. It wasn't that bad. At least I could look forward to tennis in the spring. I am one good tennis player. Almost immediately my tense mood changed. Exercise was a wonderful relief from stress and nerves, not that Sarah scared me in the least. I hoped that the rest of the day was brighter.

In P.E. I ran into yet another leechy predicament. The girls had begun changing into uniforms of which I had not received yet. The female vamp from History came up to me and offered me one of her extra pair. Don't get grossed out, I told myself. It's just for one class period until I can purchase my own. I accepted since no one else seemed to offer the same generosity. I hated to wear something a vamp wore, but I could handle it for an hour. We ran laps and played a little v-ball. I was the first girl back from laps while Nissa (she told me her name while trying to make conversation during the run) came in second. The only reason I came in first was because I kept running to avoid the vamp so she would quit talking to me. I thought of how Theodora would disapprove of my actions and behavior today. She had always encouraged me to get in touch with my white lighter healing powers and nature more than my hunter instincts. She was the head of Single Earth in L.A. which tried so often to unite all species, demon and humans, in a universal cause for peace. She was a real friend. She was bitten and murdered by a vampire a few months ago. She was the kindest, most generous and compassionate person I ever had the honor of meeting. A lot of people at Single Earth were, but when the vampires there had to feed, it literally made me sick. If they were so dedicated to the cause, why couldn't they suck off rats or something? Maybe Nissa and her brother were part of Single Earth. Why didn't I think of that before? Now I felt really bad for how I had acted. But then again, they could just be posing as harmless and were really murdering monsters of the night.

The coach was impressed with my endurance and asked me to try out for the cross-country team. I politely said I'd think about it although I had no intention of spending my afternoons running when I got enough of that in training and hunting down vampires. I wasn't such a bitch to Nissa afterwards and we got along pretty well. I had to remember what Theodora always fought for and stop being so close minded and hateful. It was their nature as a vampire to thirst for blood. They had no control over it. I shouldn't hold that against them, and I don't. It's their murdering and treacherous, weak ways that I hold against them. Theodora understood what my family fought for too though and didn't want innocent people to suffer at the clutches of murdering, sadistic fiends more than we did.

"What do you have next?" Nissa asked me when we got back to the locker room. Our volleyball team had won every game that half hour considering there was a Triste witch and vampire on the same side. "Ooh, let me see. Oh, I have Biology and then lunch." "Cool. I have crafts and then lunch also with my brother. You wanna join us?" The invitation was not tempting in the least. Vampires ate food? Or did they just pretend in order to blend in? "Ooh, I'll have to see." "Oh, come on." Well her enthusiasm made it seem harmless, but I was not about to have lunch with two vampires today, never mind the entire year. "Oh, y'know, I really can't. So sorry." It wasn't a complete lie. I promised myself at Theodora's funeral to avenge her death towards all vampires and being all friendly with two of the kind wasn't exactly helping that vow. Even though I had broken the promise countless times before, didn't mean I couldn't keep it now. And I really was sorry when I saw the look of deep disappointment on Nissa's face, but I knew vampires had a way of deceiving their victims and I couldn't take the chance. I still didn't know what she stood for, or who she was in cahoots with. Just because she and her brother were weak didn't mean they were good people. I left the locker room alone at the sound of the bell and headed off to Biology. The class was a lot more fun and relieved me from the hazard of my previous encounters for an hour. The teacher was really interactive and didn't make us memorize any of those nasty formulas or math conjectures. He was really funny too. A lot of the people in the class were kinda, out there, but not more than usual. 

Afterwards, I headed to my locker to grab my sack lunch from home. I don't really trust cafeteria food because sometimes it's so greasy and fattening. Have you seen their pizza? Yuck. As I was walking through the halls, I passed Nissa at Sarah's locker. She didn't notice me, but Sarah did. "Hey!" Sarah signaled to me with a wave. "Hey," I said walking over to them. "What's up?" she asked me. "Oh, nothing too exciting. I'm just headed over to lunch." "Us too," she answered back. Nissa just smiled at me. I guess she wasn't sore at me for my previous refusal, not that I would have lost any sleep over it. "We can walk to the cafeteria together," Nissa offered. I wasn't thrilled, but I could sense a hesitation and dislike from Sarah's aura. I didn't know if it was for me or Nissa, or maybe both of us. Who knows? "What's that?" I questioned, looking over Sarah's bandaged arm at an accurately and beautiful sketch of Sarah, her hair spilled over her shoulder and onto the desk as she wrote. Nissa just shrugged when she saw the drawing and gave an understanding smile as Sarah and I read the initials signed in light script in the bottom corner. _CR._ "Who's CR?" "Christopher," Sarah replied. "My brother," replied Nissa. "Oh," was my only reply. "He's an extremely talented artist," I commented. 'for a vampire,' I thought. "Ya," whispered Sarah seemingly a bit preoccupied. She was probably a bit taken aback from such a flattering gift. It sure captured some of her beauty. Now I'm not gay or anything, but Sarah is a very beautiful girl in respect to her looks. I'm sure she's a beautiful person internally as well, but I wasn't exactly eager to find out just yet. I mean, don't think I'm gay or anything just cause of the what I think.

Nissa led the way to the table where she and her brother usually sat; Christopher was already there. "Well I'll see you guys later," I said to Nissa and Christopher. "Wait up Althea," Sarah beckoned. Well this was a surprise. What did she want now? "I think Althea and I are gonna hang for a while and catch up on old times," Sarah told Nissa and Christopher. Why? I didn't wanna "hang" with her on my free time. "Why don't you two sit and chat with us? We'd love to hear about your previous adventures at high school," Nissa offered. 'Why don't you sit and bite the bullet,' I thought to myself, 'and do us all a favor.' "Oh, no that's okay. We'll just go catch up outside. It's a beautiful day," I said. It seemed that Sarah was trying to avoid Nissa and had run out of polite diversions. At least I hoped that was what she was doing. I didn't want to misinterpret her actions and vibes. That never leads to anywhere good. It was well known that vampire auras repelled humans due to their malevolence and hostility, but Nissa and Christopher didn't seem too terrorizing. I quickly made our exit to discourage any debate made by Nissa. "Whoo thanks," answered Sarah. "You really didn't trust them too easily either huh?" I asked. "It's weird how we sometimes think on the same level," she remarked. "Ya, I guess. If you say so," I answered. "So how is the team at Ridgemont?" "The team?" I questioned. "Oh, that's right. I mean how are my friends. You know that group I hung out with." "Ya I remember," I replied. "Well, Kristy is going out with Sean Dougherty the last time I checked and Felicia broke up with Adam." "No, she did? I thought it was going to be Felicia and Adam forever," said a surprised Sarah. "Ya I thought it would be that way too, but the gossip is that she caught him cheating on her with a college girl and that was the last straw for Felicia." The conversation went as so for a while. It was nice to see a familiar face in this school to talk with about old friends and enemies. "So is your life perfect as usual here?" she asked me. I was a bit taken aback. "Perfect?" I questioned, astonished. "Ya, I mean you were on the drill team for two years, you were sort of popular, and you had a nice boyfriend for a time. Are you going to continue the trend here?" she asked sarcastically, but I don't think she meant to be hurtful. If she only knew the countless hours of my life I spend training and the pressure laid upon me from my mother. How I hardly ever get to see my dad on account he's always in need by other witches, and that I have no choice in a future career. It's Triste vampire hunter for my brother and I. Everything else in our social lives comes afterward. Humph, if she only knew. She probably just worries about tomorrow's test rather than if she's gonna survive the night. Some people have all the luck. All I could reply was, "You have no idea how long its taken me to find myself. I'm still growing as a person and I have so many responsibilities and pressures at home. Trust me, I lead no perfect life. Far from it." "Sure," she said, unconvincingly. 

When lunch was over, I headed on to Journalism. All my exceeding classes were completely human, thank the heavens. Sarah and I had the same last period, Health. That class was so boring and the teacher was thoroughly stringent to top it off. Tough to a T. The material was easy to memorize, just no fun. Fortunately, Mrs. Harris had to leave the class frequently for weird reasons, leaving the group of students to their accord; total chaos. That part was fun. After school that afternoon I headed straight home. I was greeted with my mother ready to train. For the next three hours, we went through the many attack and defense sparings and mental strengthening exercises. By five thirty, I emerged from our basement/gym drenched and out of breath. I took a shower and started on my homework. 

"Althea!" my mother cried after a few hours from downstairs. I walked out my room to the stairway. "Ya?" I yelled back. This was a common form of communication considering we were used to living in old manors. "Patrol!" was her only reply. Patrolling already? I checked my watch. Whoa, it was already nine o'clock. "I got it!" I yelled back to her. I had to get started now, so I didn't have time to change my clothes. I ran out the door with my flashlight, blades, and ingredients used for quick power spells like balls of immense light and vampire acid. It was a formula devised by my line that worked like the famed holy water. Vampire flesh burned and boiled without healing for at least half a day if they were strong. All in all, it was a normal check and stroll of the streets, but I was always _en guarde_ for the unexpected. 

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You like? Maybe no? Don't forget to review this extensive chapter. I appreciate the support and criticism.


	2. Interested Enemies

I do not own any of Amelia Atwater Rhodes' characters. C'mon people, i would like more reviews so i know how i'm doing with this.

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Walking, walking, walking. How boring. If I wasn't so alert I might find the setting very sweet and romantic; I'm mushy that way. The line of medium trees with their delicate blossoms glowing in the moonlight painted a scene that you might see in Notting Hill. All of a sudden I realized I was ever so lightly nodding my head to the bass of some type of rock music, alternative no doubt. It was faint at first, but I soon neared the source of the commotion. It was wise, I thought, to follow funky music to the main house because it could be the host home of a vampire's bash. I noticed lights on in pretty much every room in the house, a rather big house, and many figures showing through the curtains. Definitely a party. 

'Might as well find out if its an invitation only for some VIP vampires,' I thought to myself. I opened the door quietly and slipped in; no need to announce this hunter's arrival. "Tell me, do witches find their way in to every party I come to?" I leisurely turned around to see a dark haired, pale skinned monster who I knew from previous experience loved the arts and people well in them: Kaleo. "I mean, it's very flattering that I attract you little groupies, but I'm afraid your kind always try to spoil the party, and in turn, find yourselves damaged in a very painful position." Bingo! "Kaleo, anyone ever tell you, you talk too much?" And with that I shoved my Ashintåöu dagger through his cold black heart twisting it twice and out again. His eyes bulged out, and his mouth opened in a groan. "Oops, did I do that?" I asked callously in my best Steve Erkel imitation. I didn't take the time to look around because I knew at that moment, time was precious. He was still struggling with his life and grabbing at me, the blood spurting out his lips and dripping out the sides of his eyes and ears, so I threw acid in his wound to keep it open and fatal. I sped to the door sensing the numerous vampires and their minions clawing at my back and sides, and I saw maybe four vampires blocking the doorway. I could break through easily but I needed out fast. I thought quickly and jumped through the window spraying shattered glass everywhere. They were on me in two seconds snarling with threats coming from every which way. I could feel their hate and malice spreading out from their aura and it sickened me. I threw them off, struggling to run in the opposite direction but boy, it was a struggle, yet through it all, I never looked back. I was surrounded, and I could feel a lynching coming on. Then I stopped, curled into a ball on the lawn, and focused.

****************Nikolas POV*************

I looked out my window to the commotion outside. Well, it wasn't really MY window since it wasn't even my house, but I had used this room to take my victim so I just considered it mine for the moment. I had seen Kaleo's murder from the eyes of others as I searched their minds. Hmm, the girl had guts and skill to harm Kaleo, and I was happy for some action and excitement. The witch's death was certain if she remained here long. At the moment, Kaleo's current, or actually now former play toy was dressing his wound and crying over his condition. The wound would not heal until well over tomorrow's sunset leaving a nasty scar, but whatever she had poured on it might adjust his odds in death's favor. I focused my attention to the mob again. 

"What's she doing?" asked a voice from the crowd, and some were agreeing with the question as was I. I wasn't exactly sure what was her next move. I thought she would have fought through and broken down the door to escape this house which would lead to certain capture, but she had surprised me, I had to admit by making her quick escape through the window, but to no avail (AN: talk about a run-on sentence.). What was this? Ah, she is condensing her energy to throw at them. This little brawl was quite amusing. Some tried to drag her inside while a few backed away a few steps to give them some room, but they were all too late. Fools! An explosion of light occurred badly scarring some vampires while only blinding a few for an instant and then, both the light and the girl were gone. 'Ha ha ha' I laughed in my head. They should have expected she wouldn't give in so easily, but how had she disappeared? Most witches couldn't do that, and she had to have evaporated or I would have seen her running away 'and maybe followed her' I thought. She was very, dare I say it, beautiful. 'What are you doing Nikolas?!' I scolded myself. I shouldn't get involved with her. She could kill me, or could she? Ooh, I had an itch to fight this striking rival. I wondered if I should go and try to avenge Kaleo. Nah, he got what he deserved even if I couldn't give it to him. Not two hundred years ago and not anymore. I know one schoolgirl who will want to be here for Kaleo's possible demise. My dear reminiscent sister.

I thought on the power of this witch. She managed to practically kill a very powerful vampire and escape with hardly a scratch. Well, actually she did get a few scratches. All outside were stunned and perplexed. Crap, party's over! Time to check on Kaleo, the poor bastard.

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I know it's kinda short, but oh well. What do you think?


	3. The Mutual Meeting

Ok, I know in the book it says that Sarah doesn't meet up w/ Nikolas until the following tuesday, but let's just pretend it's tuesday okay? It works for the story. So this is the day that Sarah meets up w/ Nikolas,(gasp) Kristopher's twin. Oh yeah, so the Halloween dance already happened.

************Althea's POV************************

I opened my eyes to find myself staring at a very familiar ceiling. I half expected to find myself being torn apart by vampires. I slowly sat upright and become aware that I had just been sprawled on the floor. 'Was that me?' I thought. 'Me that stabbed THE Kaleo, me that just _successfully_ orbed?' Orbing was very, _very_ hard for me. 'Why did I try to orb? I can't even orb from upstairs to downstairs without landing on my head!' which explained the pain coming from my butt and back. My landing must not have been as good as my orbing. I was in shock, but I slapped myself out of it soon enough. Speaking of, where exactly did I orb myself to? Then I saw a drawing on the wall to my right. It was a crude picture of a rabbit drawn in yellow crayon. 'Hey, I drew that,' I realized. "Oh shit! I'm back in L.A.!" 

I made my way downstairs and into the kitchen. "Please don't let the phone be disconnected, pleeeez!" I picked up the receiver and heard the standard dial tone. "Phew," I breathed a sigh of relief. Then I remembered. I don't know the new telephone number. Well this was just great and dandy! "Okay think, think. Who knows the new telephone number? Okay, there's mom, Matt, dad...oh DUH! Just call for dad. But then I'd get in a whole buncha trouble for 'the danger I've put myself in!'" I mocked my father's voice. "Maybe I could just orb back. Of course I might end up orbing myself back to the bash. Nope, bad idea." But no way was I gonna get grounded for this *tiny* mishap in my opinion. After I reflected on the situation, I decided that orbing back may not be such a bad idea. Maybe I was on a lucky streak. "Here goes nothing." I closed my eyes and concentrated really hard on going back to Acton.

I opened my eyes to find myself staring at very _un_familiar ceiling with my butt really starting to throb from another *graceful* landing. 'Well at least it's not my head' I thought. Once again I sat up and looked around me. I was in a room with lightly colored walls with the auras of vampires and werewolves washing over me. I knew immediately where I was just from the smell of the place. It was just like the one in L.A. "Single Earth," I muttered to myself.

'Well, might as well get out of here and back to the house,' I thought to myself. I got up and opened the door to find a young blonde woman right in my face with her hand curled around the doorknob. She looked kinda familiar. "Who are you?" she asked me. Then I was sort of at a miniature crossroads: Tell her who and what I am or just lie and slip out unnoticed. Oh what the hell, the truth can't hurt right? "I'm Althea. I sorta got here by accident. Which way is the exit?" She kinda looked at me funny but continued to just show me the way out. I think she forgot what she was going to the room for. When we got to the exit/entrance she called out to me, "I didn't get your last name." I turned my head and told her, "It's Tzinis." Her face suddenly became stone. She recognized my name of course. "I knew your cousin Theodora," I whispered with my back turned. I knew she could hear me perfectly since the night was so still, but I doubted if she was listening. "Oh," she said softly. I didn't sense any malice from her, only loss. I knew I wasn't the best comforter in the world, so I split. I ran all the way home. 

I walked inside to a silent house. My parents were either asleep or gone. I crept upstairs to my bedroom, and flopped down on my bed. I was asleep before my head hit the pillow. 

I woke up that morning thankfully to the room I was expecting to be in. I looked at my clock and it was already 7:00 a.m. I had overslept. I jumped out of bed, bumped my head, and just couldn't get up this morning. My whole body ached. First from the scratches of the vampires at the bash and then from all the hard landings. Orbing took a lot out of you. I so did not want to go to school today. My mother then came into my room, "Hurry up or you're gonna be late!" "Mom, I feel really lousy." I was really gonna have to work for her to let me stay home from school. Hmm, what happened to my no lying policy? "We all feel lousy sometimes," she retorted. "But _Mom_, I fought Kaleo at a bash last night, and it really hurts now." That got her attention. "You _WHAT_?!? How? What happened?" Now she was sitting on my bed. "I came across this bash okay? And I went inside and Kaleo came up to me and started talkin trash and I don't know what came over me, it must have been my Triste instincts y'know, but I just stabbed him right in the heart. Then I poured some HW on it and tried to run out. But then all these vampires were running after me and I was fightin them off left and right." By this point I was really getting into the story, even if I did embellish a little. But then she asked, "How did you get away?" Uh oh. What do I say? If I told her about my "traveling experience" , she would make me train all day for the next year! I just wanted to heal today and rest. "Um, I managed to run away." Oh how lame did that sound? She looked kinda suspicious, but I guess she believed it. "Okay well I've got to get to work, but we'll talk more about this when I get home." That sounded like a threat. "So can I stay home and heal just for today?" I pleaded with my sad puppy-dog eyes. "Fine, but only for today." Yes! Score! I stayed in bed moaning and groaning now and then until I was sure she had left and wasn't coming back, at least until she got off work. 

I carefully got out of bed and went downstairs to the potions cabinet. I took some ginger, eye of carp, etc. and made a healing mixture. I lit some incense, performed a spell, and all was well. I felt much better. An hour had already passed and by this time it was 8:00. I watched some television and finished my homework from the night before. 'What to do now?' I pondered. I had an itch to go back to that house. It was two hours away, but I was feeling up to it. 'I wonder if I should try to orb?' Well, driving was out of the question, it would take way too long. Besides, I already knew the territory so to speak. I had orbed from there before. "What the hell," I said to myself. I went down to the basement and stocked up on weapons. I had two daggers in the calf of both my black leather boots, my Triste blade tucked securely on the right side of my red leather pants, the HW solution in my pocket, and a small but deadly dagger about 2.5 inches long tucked in the middle of my brassiere. Of course that was for emergencies. It couldn't even be seen under my red and black striped tank. The final touch was my crossbow. It had been in my family for generations. I mean, you can never be too prepared for a fight. Of course, who was I planning to fight when I got there? I guess I'd find out as soon as I orbed. I closed my eyes, pictured the house, and focused all of my being on that location. 

Suddenly I felt like I was on the Dungeon Drop, like I was just falling upside down through a bottomless pit. When I could breathe again, I opened my eyes to find myself in a yin-yang. Actually as I looked around me, it wasn't really a yin yang. It was a room painted all in black and white. The carpet was plush black. The walls were white but for abstract designs that had been painted onto them black. (©Shattered Mirror pg.105) A vase of white roses lay on a black coffee table on the side of the room. Their green leaves were the only bit of color in the entire room. I saw that the door was open, and that I was standing upright. WhooHoo for me! I handled my orbing for once! But getting back to reality, I did recognize the place, and decided to check to see who was outside in case of an ambush. I saw two vampiresses laying down on the ground unconscious. 'Looks like someone's beat me to the prize,' I realized. Then I really put on my guard and felt the house with my aura. 

No one was on the first floor, but there was someone on the second floor. I raced up the stairs and checked behind the third door on my left. A woman lay inside on a bed. She was awake and staring at the ceiling. She had dark skin with a few bandages on, but the scars on her arms were obvious. A rose on her shoulder with an ivy on her wrist. "Nikolas," I breathed. She spoke to me I think, but she never moved her head or eyes. "He's playing with her," she said in an eerie childish voice. It was then I noticed the faint bangs and crashes coming from somewhere above us. I moved toward, hoping to help her, but it was then I saw her other arm. A teardrop with the name Kristopher carved on it. "Kristopher?" I murmured, perplexed. It was then she turned toward me with vacant brown eyes, "He's in love with that witch. Nikolas is playing with her." What was she talking about? What witch? It couldn't be me because Christopher barely gave me a second glance. I mean, the only one he ever swooned over was...was....oh my God. Sarah! Was she a witch? How could I not know? But it made sense. The knives and the solitude attitude. It was then that this woman saw my crossbow. She glared at me and I felt her malice and anger and hatred wash over me. She wasn't a vampire, but she sure didn't like witches. She pounced on me. I fell with her on top of me trying to scratch my eyes out. I was completely unprepared for this, but I found my footing and threw her off of me. I threw a burst of aura at her and she collapsed, unconscious. I picked up my crossbow off the floor just as I heard another bang coming from above me. There was a fight going on upstairs and I was willing to bet this woman's life that it was Nikolas and Sarah. 

I raced up the next few flight of stairs until I reached the top floor. I could sense a very strong and dark vampiric aura now. It made me want to puke. But there was another aura as well. A magical aura, a witch. I walked toward an open door, the source of all this commotion. I peeked in and choked down a gasp at what I saw. Sarah pinned against the wall with her wrists held above her head. I couldn't see who was holding her wrist, but I already knew who it was. None other than the famed Nikolas. I aimed my crossbow and fired straight at his rib cage. His heart was not in my aim range. They both never saw it coming. "Arrrgggghhhh!!!" Nikolas let out a yell like a wild beast. He let go of Sarah's wrists and she took the opportunity to kick him where it hurts. She grabbed her fallen knife off the floor and backed away. Why wasn't she running away, getting out of the house? She looked like she was ready to fight him off. This girl was either insane or a masochist. 

Nikolas pulled out the arrow from his chest with one clean move. He glanced at the doorway looking for the source of his pain and locked eyes with me. 

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I wrote this in a rush, so it may suck and I may edit it later. Whatever. Enjoy. Thanks for the reviews by the way! -Zidovudine911 


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